Only Free
by PikaGirl260
Summary: Mizu Nakama has a secret, one that she's even gone as far as changing her own name just so that no one would ever discover the truth about what ruined her life. However, when she meets the members of the Iwatobi Swim Club, she is taught the value of teamwork and that you just must face your fears if you wish to become free!
1. Prologue: New Chance

**A/N**

**So I just finished watching the first season of Free! today and I have to say, I fell in love instantly and couldn't stop watching. And, naturally, I just _have_ to write a fanfic about it! However, I'm going to need opinions from you guys but I'll save that until the end to ask my questions. For now, just enjoy the prologue like the beautiful people that you are ^u^**

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The water is alive. Once you dive in, it will immediately bare its fangs and attack. But there's nothing to fear. Don't resist the water. Thrust your fingers into the surface and carve an opening. Then slide your body through that opening. Moving your arms, your head, your chest... Become free!

* * *

The nerves pulse through my body as I slide my skin into contact with the cool metal handle of the door, the one that will be opening up a completely new lifestyle to me. This is my new start, my chance to become someone other than the person that everyone knows me as. Finally, I can be free from all of that and just be my own person. And this is where it all starts! Swallowing the gathered breath of nervousness that has built up in my throat, I thrust down the handle before gently creating an opening that I would be able to slip through and enter the room that awaits me. The second that the door so much as opens, all eyes in the classroom are instantly drawn to me, yet they seem unblinking and relaxed which highlights that they don't recognise me at all. Thank goodness for that; I don't know what I would've done if they figured out who I am as soon as I even set one foot into class.

Soon enough, the teacher instantly beckons me towards the front of the classroom, a sweet smile worn on her pale face, which is framed by a short crop of chocolate-coloured hair that curls under her chin at the tips. I obey her silent order and take my place next to her, facing the class of at least 20 students, all of their gazes draping over me as if they are assessing every single aspect of my body. The thought makes me want to wrap my arms around my chest in embarrassment when I find a few eyes staring in that general direction; I can't deny that this particular area of my body doesn't exactly suit my slim structure since they seem to be bigger than they should. Though most girls would be proud to showcase a chest like mine, I personally hate it; it means that I can't streamline my body as much as I'd wish, which is important for someone like me.

However, just as the teacher is introducing me to her class, I spot one person in the back row on the far right corner, his eyes fixated on the world that lies outside of the window with a glum expression of boredom covering his complexion. I'm guessing that new arrivals aren't something that really strike his attention too much; he seems completely detached from the world around him. With the look that's in his eyes, it's evident that he'd much rather be doing something other than sitting around in a classroom, where the height of excitement is a new student.

"Class, this is Mizu Nakama. I hope that you all welcome her into out school with open arms!" She announces to no reply, everyone silent as her overwhelming enthusiasm just seems to embarrass them all. I honestly can't blame them; if my old teacher had have been like this, I would've begged to have been placed into a different class altogether! However, I think that I'd probably be able to tolerate it now; I've matured lots in the past few years of my life and, as much as it ails me to say it, it wasn't by choice.

Once my name is revealed, the head belonging to the boy in the corner quickly snaps to the front of the class with an awestruck expression now replacing his dissatisfied one as he just stares at me with unblinking, cerulean eyes that seem to swirl with wonder. Ignoring his gaze, I merely pull up the idle hand from my side and give the class a small wave, a sweet giggle sounding from me as I make an attempt to be vaguely cute. And, it seems to work when I see a couple of the males in the room actually bite their lips or begin murmuring to the others around them. And all the while, the navy-haired corner boy just stares, causing my stomach to slightly screw up. Has he figured it out?!

As expected, class drags by with a painfully slow pace, leaving my mood completely drained by the time that we're freed for break, since it was a two-period lesson that consumed the first third of the day. Only two thirds to go until I can finally seek out what I'm _really_ excited for, being a club that awaits within this school. It was the main reason that I chose this one in all honesty; I could've gone to many others, however, there was just something here that I was unable to pass up. Just as I'm packing up my books, a tall guy with cobalt hair and scarlet glasses approaches me with a look of intense concentration on his face, as if he's trying desperately to figure out some kind of challenging puzzle that' been bugging his mind for most of our time in class.

"Have we met before? I seem to recognise you from somewhere," he murmurs, his voice soft yet completely honest as he speaks the gnawing question that's resting on his mind. Crap, he knows about me! Wait, Mizu, don't get ahead of yourself; he might not actually have figured it out yet. After all, you hardly look anything like you did back then! I'm sure that he wouldn't know who you are just from one glimpse at your face; you haven't shown it on TV in 2 years!

"Nope, never. I just have one of those faces, that's all," I stutter, finding myself tripping over my words as I increase my pace of cramming my books into my satchel in the hope that I can escape from his conversation as soon as I possibly can. If he's close to realising who I am, then I need to get away before he can reach the conclusion that he's so desperately pining for. He sighs once, agitated by the fact that no answers have approached him, and lightly shrugs his shoulders before casually righting his glasses with his index and middle fingers.

"My mistake, Mizu." The way that he says my name in such a monotone voice, which conflicts the tone that he was just using with me completely, allows my stomach to curl itself into an ever-growing knot. He knows, there's no doubt. He's the first one to work out my history as an Olympic swimmer.

"Rei! Come on; we have to use every bit of time that we have to get some new members! Hurry up and get a move on!" A voice emanates from the door that lies towards the front of the classroom, which holds three boys in its threshold, consisting of the boy from the corner, who has once again kitted his face into its bored expression. However, there is one boy who is waving impatiently, his blonde hair framing his face in soft waves that also manage to cascade over his head every now and then, making him possess a childish kind of quality that's further enhanced by his huge, magenta eyes that glint with excitement.

Reluctantly, Rei leaves my desk and makes his way over to his friends, leaving me to deal with the stirring curiousness that's constantly swirling within me; though they're wearing uniforms, I can tell that all four of them are really well built. Built like swimmers.

"What are you trying to find members for?" I blurt out accidentally, my nosiness finally getting the better of me; these boys may be the ones who I am to turn to in order to receive what I wish to become a part of in this school. The blonde-haired boy turns to me with a wide smile on his face, boosting the element of cuteness that surrounds him; though I'm not into him or anything, I can't deny that he's absolutely adorable!

"We're proud members of the Iwatobi Swimming Club!" He announces with explicit pride completely over-riding his tone, his hand held in front of him as he offers up a peace sign to me, a wink worn on his face so that only one of his magenta eyes is visible. However, I can almost feel my heart burst with excitement as he confirms my judgement of them being members of the swimming club that I've been so eager to join ever since I witnessed them competing last year for regionals. They just seemed to work perfectly with one another and I envied the way that they expertly fit together like the perfect team, something of which I wanted to be a part. Though I don't intend on swimming any relays with them in the future, I still wish to become a member of their team!

"Care to join us?" Rei questions with a smirk worn on his lips, a glint of mischievousness playing on his irises, since he knows my true identity and also has full knowledge that there's no way that I can possibly pass this up; swimming used to be my life and I need to get it back! The blonde-haired boy seems to lean forward with a gasp of anticipation as I withhold my answer from them all for dramatic effect. Then, I allow a smile to break onto my face and I nod confidently.

"I'd love to!"

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**A/N**

**So... what did you think? I have some really good ideas for this story and I really hope that you guys are up for listening to them ^u^ However, I may not be able to update as much as most people since I have so many stories already on the go on Wattpad x'D**

**Still, let me know of your opinions and don't forget to drop a comment if you feel like it :3 later on through the story, I'll be asking questions of you at the end, such as if you think that ideas that I have are good ones**

**Anyways, that's all from me, folks! Join Mizu in the next chapter when she gives Haru a run for his money ;)**

**Peace out, my lovely peeps XxX**


	2. Chapter 1: An Old Friend

Once again, I stand outside of a door that will lead to another life-changing moment; if these boys accept me into their club, then I'm sure that the way that I live my days will be altered for good. However, just before I exit the building that will lead out onto the outdoor pool, I tug off my uniform, first slipping off my blouse before continuing to slide my skirt down my legs, revealing the swimming costume that I've been wearing throughout the entire day in the hope that this moment would finally arrive. And now, it has. With a sudden burst of unknown self-confidence, I toss my clothes into an idle locker and swing the door open with great force, instantly drawing attention. Let's go.

The second that I stride into the light, I watch as all four of their eyes find my body, their mouths slowly beginning to hang open as each one of them look me up and down, the tiniest hint of a perverted look in their eyes; they _are_ boys after all.

"So, who am I racing first?" I question with a sassy ring to my voice and throwing my hips to the right, completely mixing up the image that I attempted to construct earlier of an innocent girl who wanted to just keep to herself, just to highlight how serious and fired up I am about swimming again. And, when my eyes fall past them to the pool that awaits, I feel something lift in my heart as I watch the glistening water capture the beating sunlight and reflect it to create a picture of perfection. Why did I ever give this up?

When I focus back on the boys, I realize that one still has his eyes focused around the top half of my body, as if my chest is some kind of distraction that is preventing them from focusing. To grasp their attention again, I click my fingers harshly in front of their faces and they all seem to snap awake again, all of them going slightly pink in the face, no matter how much they try to deny it when the others point it out. I can't help but giggle at the sight, even though right now, the only action that I'm after carrying out is jumping into that pool and finally being reunited with a long lost friend.

"Sorry, Mizu-san," one of them murmurs, bowing his head most likely to cover up his scarlet cheeks, his sandy hair falling forward all at once with the action. I'm not sure, but I think that he had a kind of murky green eyes, though I can't remember since he's the one that I've seen the least of out of all of them. Then, my gaze pans to the boy from the corner, who's eyes have now found the water that gently motions in the breeze that picks up the small wisps of his cobalt hair.

"How about you?" I say, pointing at him in a feeble attempt to get his attention, which doesn't work since it seems as if I'm unable to break his eyes away from the pool. Is his lust to swim just as great as mine, even though he's probably been in the water much more than me in the past two years? However, the blonde-haired boy with the pink irises lightly pats him on the shoulder, and he turns away from the sight that his eyes wish to linger on.

"Hm?" He mumbles, completely out of sorts and unable to understand the situation since he seems to have tuned out completely. I roll my eyes and, with an irritated huff, take a few steps towards him in an attempt to intimidate him, though it's quickly proven useless when he exceeds my height by a few inches. However, I have his attention now.

"I want to race you, corner boy," I explain, irritation lacing my tone as the eagerness to get into the water is beginning to break out of my hold; if I don't get in there soon, I think that I might just have to scream! His eyebrows furrow in confusion and he tilts his head to the side to emphasise just how puzzled he is, as if my request is a difficult one to decipher.

"Corner boy?" He mutters, encouraging a sigh to escape me at the way that he seems disconnected from everything other than the thoughts of ploughing into the water. However, soon enough, he looks past the nickname that I'd just issued to him and his azure eyes ignite with a light of confidence that wishes to accept my request. "Sure, I'll race you." A smirk forms on my lips which is carried over to his face as I tug my cerulean hair into a band that should contain all of it and prevent it from getting knotted up during the time that I'm in the water; I forgot to bring my swimming cap with me today, which was probably a bad move.

"Great, let's go," I announce, instantly breaking apart from him and striding towards the diving block, anticipation buzzing in my veins as I slip my goggles over my head, placing them firmly over my eyes with confidence racing through me. Though I don't hear a reply, he joins me within seconds and is securing his own goggles to his eyes, which hold that very same anticipation that he discovered mere minutes ago. However, I should've remembered about my feminine side before challenging him.

As my eyes fall upon him, a feel a silent breath catch in my throat; even though I should be used to staring at topless males since I took part in the Olympics a couple of years ago, I can't help but allow my female instincts to kick in as I gaze at him, his body built perfectly for the water and bearing a six pack over his stomach, an aspect that instantly boosts my attraction towards him. Not to mention that he seems to share a similar level of passion towards swimming as I do, something that would instantly cause me to feel interested and slightly allured. But I can't think about that now; the only thing that I care about is getting back into the water!

When the call to start finally arrives, I don't hesitate in instantly throwing my body into the water, folded into the perfect diving position that ensures that every single aspect of my body is as streamlined as possible for when I enter the water, enabling me to cut through it with much more ease. Though I have to ignore it in order to stay focused on the race, I can't contain the rush that tingles through my limbs as I slip into the arms of a loving, yet forgotten, friend; I haven't swum at all in the past 2 years since it was what ruined my life and tore away everything that ever meant anything to me. I despised swimming for what it did to me, however, my passion was re-kindled when I witnessed the four boys, of whom I have finally come to meet, working together as a force of one in the relay race for regionals. Their spirit is what influenced me to fish out my costume and try once again; there's much more to life than competitions and work, however, I was never allowed to see it that way.

Though I'm sure that I've managed to pull ahead a substantial amount, since I _am _an Olympic swimmer after all, when I come in for the turn that I'll use to give myself a much greater momentum that will propel me through the water at an increased speed so that I can keep going, I'm slightly startled when I realize that he's matching my speed! What is he?! Whilst ploughing through the final stretch, I discover an extra burst of competitive energy that completely fills me from the head down. I can do this, I can win! I _will_ win!

When my hand finally collides with the the edge of the pool, signalling the end of the race, I tear my goggles from my head to see him next to me, tugging off his cap and goggles and giving his hair a light shake for good measure to ensure that it looks vaguely like it did before we started the race. No way, did he actually beat me? However, I realize that this isn't the case when he sends a smirk in my direction, something that sends a sudden spike into my pulse.

"Nice swimming. Congrats; not many can beat me, you know." At his compliment, I feel the blood beginning to boil in my cheeks, even though the water is slightly cold and is beginning to nip at my skin with little bites each time. Even still, there's no way that I want to get out; I've not been in a pool for 2 years and I want to enjoy this experience! "And it's Haruka. Haruka Nanase," he mumbles, still wearing that hint of a smile that makes my temples drum with my increased pulse. What the heck is going on with me?!

"Haru! Mizu-san!" The sandy haired male calls to us, advancing towards the edge of the pool so that he's able to speak with us without having to shout from a few meters away, a startled yet slightly awe-struck look written onto his face as he approaches. "That was amazing! It was so close but Mizu-san definitely got there first. Sorry, Haru," he speaks in a soft tone when he finally reaches us, crouching down in order to be as close to eye level as possible, that same kind smile playing on his lips. "Oh, my name's Makoto Tachibana, in case you were wondering. I'm impressed; none of us can beat Haru when it comes to swimming freestyle!" With Makoto's compliment, I feel myself blush slightly since I'm not used to being praised for swimming, especially if I only manage to beat the other swimmer by mere inches; let's just say, I had it hard when I was younger with my parents as they were always pressuring me to be better than humanly possible. As he extends a hand towards Haru in order to aid him in retreating from the pool, I merely flop back into the water, allowing its embrace to envelop me once again as I duck under its surface, my head becoming submerged beneath it so that the liquid fans out my cobalt hair until that's all that surrounds me. Man, I miss this!

Though I thought that he was getting out, I soon find Haru's azure eyes meeting mine underneath the water, a smile playing on his lips since these actions seem to bring him a certain element of joy, hinting towards the possibility that he doesn't usually spare himself the time to just mess about and have a little fun. However, to me, diving deeper into the water was always my favourite part about swimming; it allows you to transcend the standard ways of land in the things that it allows you to do. I project a grin towards him before taking off towards the other end of the pool, my lungs managing to store a considerable amount of air to prevent me from suffocating too quickly; even though I haven't been swimming in a few years, I guess that I still have the lungs for it! As my body slices through the water effortlessly, I can feel the warm sensation of being reunited with the hobby that I love being returned to me; I've really missed this!

However, my happiness soon fades when my mind suddenly jumps to the reasons for me quitting that which I adore, brining me pain as my mind lingers on my past. When I competed for the Olympics, it was down to the fact that my mother and father had pushed me to train extremely hard every single day of my life so that I could make them proud by winning at least something, knowing that there would be no other way for me to earn their appreciation. But, when it came to the event and I partook in the 100m freestyle, I wasn't even able to qualify for finals and went back to my parents with nothing. Proclaiming that I was a worthless disappointment, they disowned me and sent me away from the only place that I had to call home, leaving me with nothing but the clothes on my back and the crushing sense of utter loss and despair. They forced me away from their lives because I was a failure, and it was all down to the fact that I couldn't swim fast enough. Luckily, my friend had my back and took me in, and, to this day, I still live with her until I'm able to get a job and finally move out, freeing her from the burden that I know that I've become. That's why I stopped swimming; I'd repulsed the water ever since as I saw it as the thing that took everything from me. My home. My parents. Washed away by the cruel waves of fate.

Being consumed in a separate thought process to that of the path that you're swimming is an incredible mistake when it comes to being underwater, and I've just made it by thinking back to what stopped me swimming. Before I can halt myself, my head collides roughly with the edge of the pool and black instantly frames my eyes, growing with each beat of my heart until it completely consumes my vision, my body sinking into the abyss of unconsciousness as the water drags me under and into its depths.

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**A/N**

**Oooooooohhhhhhh! Sawwy for the cliffhanger but they're kinda my thing :3 Anyhoo, how was it? Did you enjoy learning a little bit more about Mizu, as well as what she thinks about Haru's abs? (let's be honest, we've all been there) **

**QOTC: (Question of the Chapter) **

**Will you guys approve if I ship Mizu and Haru? I mean, apart from Makoto, I can't think of a better match for him; her name literally translates as 'water' in Japanese! **

**Anyways, tell me what you think but I'm really considering shipping them, even though it's always best to get a second opinion x'D **

**Peace out, my lovely peeps! **


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